The effect of chronic hypovitaminosis C on the metabolism of cholesterol and atherogenesis in guinea pigs

Abstract

Guinea pigs with varying intakes of ascorbic acid (0.5, 5 and 50 mg per 24 h) were receiving an atherogenic diet with addition of 0.3 % cholesterol during 140 days. In guinea pigs with a chronic deficiency of vitamin C (0.5 mg for 24 h) a significantly higher accumulation of cholesterol in liver, adrenal glands and small intestine was observed in comparison with the group receiving 50 mg of vitamin C for 24 h. Concentrations of cholesterol in the same organs of the group receiving 5 mg of vitamin C per 24 h were within these extreme data. A significantly negative correlation was confirmed to exist between cholesterol concentration in liver, adrenal glands and small intestine and saturation of tissues with vitamin C; with decreasing saturation of tissues with vitamin C, the accumulation of cholesterol in the relevant tissue was increasing. Cholesterol levels in brain and blood serum were not significantly influenced by differing intake of vitamin C. The most advanced atheromatous changes were found in aorta and coronary arteries of the hypovitaminous group (0.5 mg of vitamin C per 24 h). High doses of vitamin C (50 mg per 24 h) did not prevent the appearance of morphological changes in vascular system but only slowed down the process of atheromatous reconstruction.